By Simon Sinek
Simon Sinek imagines a world where people are not living, “just fine,” but great. In Together is Better he offers a way to get there.
“Building this world will not be easy,” he notes, “nor will it happen in a year or two. But if we commit to working together, to each do our part to help advance a shared vision, we can build this world we imagine" (1).
Sinek’s playground is a happy metaphor for our work and lives. The title is true, but the story didn’t connect. I did get a lot of helpful one-liners, I suspect things Sinek has said before in a book or a talk. Things like:
“The best way to find out if it will work is to do it” (40).
“When we are closed to idea, what we hear is criticism. When we are open to criticism, what we get is advice” (46).
“Leadership is an education. And the best leaders think of themselves as the students, not the teachers” (89).
“The mind must be convinced but the heart must be won” (108).
Sinek says “fulfillment comes when we live our lives on purpose” (6).
Really?! Many people purposely chase cash, or a relationship, or a business, only to discover the purpose transitory and unsatisfying in the long-haul. He writes, “But only with a clear vision, no matter from where or from whom it comes, can we find the inspiration to set ourselves on a journey to go towards something greater” (35).
Seriously? You can pick it up from the Proud Boys, or the KKK or Hell’s Angels and if it’s good . . . you’ve got a vision? There are a couple of places, like that, where he needed a little more context and clarification and less absolute principle.
Ethan Aldridge's artwork in Together is Better is a delight to behold, the size of the book ideal for a little parable. I can even live with the $22 price tag, but this felt like little more than recycled leadership aphorisms and a pep talk without any idea as to where the pep comes from:
“Bad teams work in the same place. Good teams work together” (53).
I paid $22 for that?
“Success is when reality looks like what’s in our imagination” (70).
Even in the context of his idea of vision, this is not necessarily true. Our imagination can be selfish, reckless, grudge-driven . . . or other-centered. But to his credit, he addresses this when he says:
“The opportunity is not to discover the perfect company for ourselves. The opportunity is to build the perfect company for each other” (80).
My favorite parts:
1. Be the Leader You Wish You Had (107).
2. A Little More:
In this section (117ff), Sinek provides more context and explanation behind some of his ideas in the book. It was very insightful and helpful. I appreciated this. It gave me a peek into who he is — again, very interesting and very much appreciated.
3. This was Gold: The reason we more often rally against something is because it’s easier. It’s easier to stoke someone’s fears, discomfort, or sense of injustice because the thing that they fear, that makes them uncomfortable or that they feel is unfair, is usually a real thing (121).
If Simon Sinek had stopped after the playground metaphor, it would have been a cute little book of inspirational quotes, but “A Little More” is the heart of this book (117-140). Sinek says, “The mind can be convinced but the heart must be won” (108). He won my heart with the additional comments he gave about some of the inspirational sayings he shared.
“A vision is like a dream—it will disappear unless we do something with it. Do something big or do something small. But stop wondering and go on an adventure” (16,122).
To this he adds, “We can imagine what is over the wall or we can stand there and stare at the wall. The choice is ours” (122).
Two more . . . and then go buy the book (for the latter pages in my opinion, though the whole book is growing on me).
“When we say out loud what we don’t know, it increases the likelihood that someone who does know will offer help. The single most powerful lesson I ever learned in my life (now he has my attention) is that I don’t have to know all the answers. And when I don’t, I don’t have to pretend that I do” (126).
“Innovators are the ones whose dreams are clearer than the reality that tells them they’re crazy” (127).
Think about that last line. It is good! And with those pages added, I can say, "So is the book." It's an under-the-sun worldview and yet, all the hoping and dreaming apart from the Good King on the playground (you have to read the book) is just wishful thinking. Still, it's a helpful read, especially for leaders.
